DIY pond filter/plumbing - my idea possible PLEASE READ!

[Banton3206]

hi!
please reply by email as i might not find this NG again!!

i am almost ready to install pump/filter/plumbing in my 1000gal pond with 10ft
long 2 ft. wide waterfall. I do not plan to have super expensive Koi otherwise
I would look into the costly store bought system. Here's what i plan to do and
I would really apprieciate feedback from any and all!

I was planning to do this - get a strong water pump matched to GPH and head and
pump it uphill above the top of the waterfall. I'll surround this pump in a
mesh cage to keep leaves from clogging it. since i want a strong flow down the
falls, and since the biofilter won't be able to filter all the water i need to
create this effect, i want to divert half the flow to simply go into the falls
with the other half to the filter and then coming out to the falls. (i haven't
even checked with the pros to see if this is OK to do as i might have to
increase GPH since only half of the pumped pondwater will be bio-filtered)
I am looking to build the biofilter myself considering that the hardest
part to get is a watertight PLASTIC barrel.
is this possible? can i do this? any and all help is much much
apprieciated and please don't forget to reply by EMAIL!!!
regards
dave

[Bonnie Espenshade]

Banton3206 wrote:
> hi!
> please reply by email as i might not find this NG again!!
>
> i am almost ready to install pump/filter/plumbing in my 1000gal pond with 10ft
> long 2 ft. wide waterfall. I do not plan to have super expensive Koi otherwise
> I would look into the costly store bought system. Here's what i plan to do and
> I would really apprieciate feedback from any and all!
>
> I was planning to do this - get a strong water pump matched to GPH and head and
> pump it uphill above the top of the waterfall. I'll surround this pump in a
> mesh cage to keep leaves from clogging it. since i want a strong flow down the
> falls, and since the biofilter won't be able to filter all the water i need to
> create this effect, i want to divert half the flow to simply go into the falls
> with the other half to the filter and then coming out to the falls. (i haven't
> even checked with the pros to see if this is OK to do as i might have to
> increase GPH since only half of the pumped pondwater will be bio-filtered)
> I am looking to build the biofilter myself considering that the hardest
> part to get is a watertight PLASTIC barrel.
> is this possible? can i do this? any and all help is much much
> apprieciated and please don't forget to reply by EMAIL!!!
> regards
> dave
>
>

Hi Dave,
The best container for a diy filter is a Rubbermaid Stock
tank. They are available at farm stores - Agway where I'm
located. Best of all, they come equiped with a bottom drain
which makes it very easy to clean them out.

--
Bonnie
NJ
http://home.earthlink.net/~maebe43/

[BenignVanilla]

"Banton3206" > wrote in message
...
> hi!
> please reply by email as i might not find this NG again!!
>
> i am almost ready to install pump/filter/plumbing in my 1000gal pond with
10ft
> long 2 ft. wide waterfall. I do not plan to have super expensive Koi
otherwise
> I would look into the costly store bought system. Here's what i plan to
do and
> I would really apprieciate feedback from any and all!
>
> I was planning to do this
<snip>

Sounds very doable. I would suggest a slightly different setup though.
Instead of one pump, go with two. In phase I of the project, get the water
pumping up from the pond to your filter and out the falls. This way you have
your filtration and you can get an idea for how much water to move to make
the falls the way you want them. I would then buy a second pump for the
falls only. I'd also put valves downstream from both pumps, so you can
throttle them back as needed. With this layout you can continue to circulate
your water with the filter pump, and shut the other falls-only pump off when
not needed, like when you are sleeping. All that splashing will aid in
evaporation, so why run it when you are not there to enjoy it?

My 2cents.

BV.

[jpiers]

Have you tried to refer this to an expert plumber?